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Photography: Ryan Waniata
Thanks to the excellent image processing, details pop, from crystal clear 4K to 1080p Blu-rays and even 720p upscaling. Only the fuzziest SD images fail to impress, sometimes they come across as a bit blocky, but this is true of almost every 4K TV.
The only minor chinks in the armor that I noticed over several days were some small stutters or jerkiness with busy motion scenes and some color banding with compressed video. Otherwise, I could just sit back and enjoy the glow.
The highlight for me is the Z95A’s phenomenal colors, which are so rich and vibrant that it took me by surprise, even compared to all the other great flavors in Panasonic’s special sauce. I was gobsmacked from day one, starting with a casual viewing of the holiday classic Scrooged. From Bill Murray’s deep navy blue suits to the crimson gold of Robert Mitchum’s pajamas, I found myself mesmerized – and it wasn’t just me.
fantasy it’s one of my wife’s most watched movies, but we were both dazzled by the art. Sapphire blues, flashing silvers, pastel purples and deep yellow golds all burned beautifully. Even something as simple as a targeted fish Assassin’s Creed Valhalla calling attention, burning like magma. I’m fair, but a TV this good will do that to you. There are only a few TVs on the market that keep pace.
Photography: Ryan Waniata
LG G4 is one, which offers similar delights (and four HDMI 2.1 inputs), but I’ve had bad luck with review samples so far. Sony’s A95L QD-OLED (9/10, WIRED recommends) is my favorite rival. It’s not as bright, but it’s still impressive and has slightly better image detail. Samsung S95D (8/10, WIRED Recommends) isn’t that impressive – and skips Dolby Vision – but its matte screen provides intriguing anti-glare abilities. Finally, Sony’s ultra-bright Bravia 9 mini LED TV (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is a wild card for those looking for the brightness of the new generation, although its backlit display is not as ready or balanced as the OLED.
All of these competitors offer more model sizes than the Z95A’s lone 65-inch size, which could be a differentiating factor. However, there’s just something about the Z95A that stuck out to me. In addition to its Fire TV system, it is the best in every category and easily one of the best TVs you can buy. Welcome back, Panasonic. It’s been too long.
